Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to orientationally sensitive closures and an apparatus for orienting such closures for mounting to containers. More particularly, the invention related to closures having a specifically oriented direction for mounting to a container and an apparatus for orienting such closures prior to mounting to the container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Containers having spout-like closures for dispensing the contents therefrom have come into widespread use. One such type of closure includes a threaded spout extending upwardly from a container. The closure is used with a cap that threadly engages the spout. Frequently, such closures are injection molded directly onto the container material stock. Such closures may, however, be formed separate from the container and subsequently mounted thereto. For certain applications, such closures have shown significant advantages over known closure systems.
Another known type of closure includes a one-piece molded body having a hinged cap. Such one piece closures advantageously eliminate the need for a separately formed closure cap. The one-piece configuration eliminates the possibility of losing or inadvertently discarding the separate cap portion.
One drawback to using such hinged closures is that each closure must be properly oriented on its respective container because each closure cover hinges or pivots about an axis particularly located on the closure. For example, the cover portion of a hinged closure that is mounted to a gable top carton must pivot upwardly, out of the way of the contents being dispensed or poured from the container. If the cover pivots in a manner or direction other than upwardly, it may interfere with dispensing or pouring of the contents therefrom.
In another application, it may be desired to position a non-hinged closure, such as a threaded closure package, in a particular orientation on a container. Such particularized orientation of the closure may be, for example, to effect the proper positioning of indicia on the closure or closure cap relative to the container. This may be significant if the indicia contains a logo, trademark or like representation.
Known orientable closures typically have one or more flattened sides to facilitate proper orientation of the closure on the container. Inasmuch as such partially flattened closures are acceptable for hinged type closures, there are a number of drawbacks. First, such flattened sides may increase the cost to manufacture such closures. In addition, handling and positioning of such closures could require additional capital equipment for sorting, positioning and mounting the closures to containers. Moreover, such flattened closures are difficult to use in conjunction with a threaded-type closure arrangement.
Accordingly, there continues to be a need for an orientationally sensitive closure and an orienting apparatus for use with such a closure. Such a closure and apparatus should readily orient the closure for proper positioning for mounting to a container. Such a closure should include a hinged cover portion that opens away from the dispensing direction. Advantageously, such a closure may include directionally sensitive indicia, such as logos and the like, which indicia should be properly oriented on the closure.
An orientationally sensitive closure adapted for mounting to a container in a specific orientation or direction includes a closure body and a mounting flange. A spout extends from one side of the flange, positioned centrally on, and generally coaxially with the flange. An orienting projection extends from an opposite side of the flange, in a noncoaxial relation to the spout and flange.
The closure may be an orientationally sensitive, hinged-type closure. In such a closure arrangement, the closure must be mounted to the container such that the cover hinges, for example, away from the flow of the dispensed material from the container. The closure may also contain directionally or orientationally sensitive indicia, such as logos, trademarks and the like, which must be properly oriented on, for example, a threaded closure cap.
In a preferred embodiment, the orientationally sensitive closure has circular spout and flange portions. The projection may be formed as a relatively short barrel-like element having a circular cross-section. That portion of the closure flange periphery closest to the projection defines a trailing edge of the closure. Conversely, that portion of the flange periphery that is 180xc2x0 from the trailing edge defines the leading edge of the closure.
An apparatus for orienting a closure prior to mounting the closure on a container includes a body portion having a closure inlet region and a closure outlet region that extend along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus body. The body defines a longitudinally oriented flange receiving channel having a width configured to slidingly receive the closure flange, and a projection receiving channel extending generally longitudinally along the body portion. The projection receiving channel has a width configured to slidingly receive the closure orienting projection. The projection receiving channel has at least two bends therein, such that a closure, positioned at the inlet and traversing through the apparatus, is rotationally oriented by interaction of the projection and the projection receiving channel to discharge the closure by the leading edge first, i.e., the leading edge in a leading position.
The apparatus may include a longitudinally oriented spout receiving channel adjacent to the flange channel. Preferably, the flange and spout channels have substantially constant widths and substantially constant cross-sectional areas. The projection channel may taper inwardly to facilitate orienting the closure and to facilitate rotation of the closure to further proper orientation. In one embodiment, the projection receiving channel has three bends and is configured to discharge the closures therefrom in a path generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus body.
An alternate embodiment of the orienting apparatus includes a cylinder positioned on the body in the path of the flange channel. The cylinder rotates about an axis that intersects the projection channel. The cylinder is configured to receive the closures, at about the spout, and rotate 180xc2x0 to carry the closures from the inlet region to the outlet region.
Preferably, the cylinder has a pair of cradle regions symmetrically positioned about the axis and extending inwardly from a periphery of the cylinder. The cradles are configured having a semi-circular shape to carry the closures at about the spout. In a most preferred embodiment, the projection channel has two branches, a straight-through branch that transitions to and is contiguous with an inwardly, arcuately extending path. The arcuate path diverges from the straight-through path at about the inlet region and conjoins with the straight-through path at about the outlet region.
The cylinder is configured to move the closures from the inlet to the outlet by rotation of the cylinder, and is configured to orient the closures through rotation of the closure relative to the cylinder, by interaction between the projection and the arcuate projection channel branch, so that the closure is discharged from the apparatus with the leading edge in a leading position.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.